The Things That Matter
by Sonata Rapp
Summary: Every one always thought Roger came from a bad family. But what if he was the richest kid in town? He, Mark, and Maureen are seniors in high school struggling to find themselves. Part one in a series of three.
1. Chapter 1

The Things That Matter

Chapter 1

"God Angela will you just stop?" the angry blond young man exploded. "I don't give a fuck about your stupid benefit or those damn kids. So leave me alone!" He strode down the stairs, jumping the last two and grabbing his leather jacket on the way out.

"Roger where are you going?" his mother cried. "You can't just walk out like this."

"Watch me." the young man retorted and stormed out. He stood on the porch for a minute and then his feet took over, automatically leading him towards his best friend's house.

As he walked, he contemplated his fate. All he ever wanted was to do was start a band and have friends like normal guys his age. That was hard to do when no one took him seriously. They had one look at his huge house and wealthy family and either laughed in his face, or tried to glom onto him to get things. And the last thing Roger Davis needed was people leeching off of him. That's why he only had two friends in the world. In fact he was now standing outside the house of one of them.

Roger knocked on the door for a few seconds and then it was opened by a smiling blond woman. "Hello Roger dear, she greeted him with a smile and let him in.

"Hey Mrs. Cohen." Roger said back. "Mark's here right?"

"Of course he is dear. Up in his room fiddling with his camera as always. Maureen was here too last time I checked, but she could be gone by now. I never know with that girl."

Roger grinned. He knew only too well the extent of Maureen's psychosis. "Thanks Mrs. Cohen." he said and headed up the stairs. Mark's house was nice, but nothing compared to his. No one's was.

Mark's bedroom was empty, so Roger flung himself on the bed. It was neatly made, just like everything else in the room, and in fact Mark himself. He had closed his eyes and was thinking of a song in his head, when his best friend came barging in.

"Parents tick you off again?" Mark asked with a grin. He was not surprised to see Roger on his bed. It was an everyday thing. "And get your feet off my bed."

Roger ignored the last part of that and sighed, "Angela's off on an uber tangent about her dumbass benefit that she's having tonight and Robert could care less. He's just off enjoying his booze." Roger always called his parents by their first names. "They suck."

Mark tutted. "You really should let me do a movie on you. All this angry rich teen angst is wasted up here in my room."

"Whatever." Roger said. "Only six more months till graduation and then I'm out of here."

"Yeah off to whatever school your Mommy buys your way into." Maureen said as she came into the room and sat on the bed with Roger.

"No way." he retorted. "No way. I'm moving to Manhattan and starting a band or something. And once I'm gone, they can kiss my ass, because I'm gone for good."

"Yeah yeah." Mark said jokingly. "You keep saying that. Anyway you want to crash here tonight? My mom won't care."

Roger grinned at his best friend. "Thanks man. If one of you guys comes with me I can sneak home and get some clothes and stuff."

"Ooh I will." Maureen volunteered. "Then you can walk me home before my father goes ballistic on me. He hates the fact that my two best friends in the world are guys. Cute guys at that."

Mark snorted. "So what, he thinks we're like taking turns doing you or something? That's ridiculous."

"What's so ridiculous about it?" Maureen demanded. "I'm hot."

"Yes you are." Roger interrupted before she and Mark could get into their weekly argument. "You are so hot. Can we go now? The quicker we get to my house, the shorter your grounding will be for this month."

Maureen smirked at Mark and got to her feet pulling Roger up as well. "Okay let's go."

Roger got his stuff from his house with no trouble and then took Maureen home. "I'll see you tomorrow at school, okay?" he said as she got ready to go inside her house.

"You mean you're not skipping tomorrow?" she asked back with a smile.

"Mark would never let me." Roger replied and smiled back. Even though he thought of Maureen like a sister, her couldn't help but watch the curve of her ass as she turned and went in the house with a wave. Then he started the walk back to Mark's house.

Mark's older sister Cindy came to the door when he knocked this time. "Hi Roger." she practically purred when she saw it was him. She took in his duffel bag and guitar. "Staying the night?"

"Uh yeah." Roger replied and moved past her into the house. "Mark and I have some work to do so I'll just go on up to his room." he said and hurried up the stairs.

"Well if you need any help, you know where to find me." Cindy said suggestively.

Roger shuddered and ran the rest of the way. When he got to Mark's room he slammed the door shut behind him. Mark didn't even look up from his work. "Mark your sister is a slut." Roger said and sat on the floor.

"No shit." Mark replied. "She's always been that way. Now that you've grown up she's all warm for your form."

"Dude that's gross." Roger answered and threw a pillow at his best friend. "And it's a lie."

"Gross yes. But a lie it is not." Mark replied as he dodged the pillow and joined Roger on the floor. "These walls are thin."

"So?"

"So, I hear Cindy at night when she dreams about you." Mark put on a high voice. She'll be all 'Oh Roger. Roger I love you so much. You're so hot, you freaking sexy rock god you!'"

"You know what's sad?" Roger asked after he had punched Mark in the shoulder to make him shut up. "I'm still in high school and she's a sophomore in college. Can't she find some one her own age to lust after?"

"Oh she does, trust me. When she brings home a new boyfriend…" Mark trailed off. "Like I said, these walls are thin." he moved to his desk and grabbed a notebook from it. "You know what we have to do right?"

"Don't say it." Roger begged. "I really don't want to work on that paper tonight."

"Well that's dumb considering it's due tomorrow." Mark said back. "But you could always go downstairs and let Cindy make goo-goo eyes at you for a while. Hopefully you won't get raped when my parents go to bed."

"Alright, you don't have to get graphic." Roger stopped him. "I'll write the damn paper."

Mark grinned at him and the two friends got started on their work.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next morning Mark and Roger walked to school early so they could avoid Cindy. "Wow." Roger said when they got to their lockers. "I've never been at school this early before."

"Why am I not surprised?" Mark retorted and tugged open his locker. Inside were all the thick books for the many classes he was taking that semester.

"Well Mark I'm not you." Roger explained. "You with all the AP this and Honors that. Just give me good old regular classes any day."

Mark didn't respond to that. Just then Maureen and another girl walked up. She had long red hair and blue eyes and neither of the boys had ever seen her before.

"Hey guys." Maureen screeched as she hugged them. "How was the slumber party last night?"

"Roger almost got molested." Mark replied simply.

"Cindy?" Maureen asked and he nodded. "God she's a slut." The redheaded girl cleared her throat. "Oh right, almost forgot." Maureen grinned. "Boys, I'd like to introduce you to Antonia Clark. She just moved here from Manhattan and she lives next door to me now. Ant these are my boys. The genius with the glasses is Mark Cohen and the hottie with the curls is Roger Davis."

"Hi." Antonia said softly.

"Nice to meet you." Mark replied and pushed his glasses up on his nose.

"Yeah." Roger echoed. He leaned against his locker. "Dude you're from Manhattan? That's so cool. That's where I want to move to when I graduate. Is it awesome there?"

"It's okay." she answered. "I like it here better."

"So what's your first class Ant?" Maureen wanted to know.

Antonia consulted her schedule. "AP Literature and Composition." she said.

"Well you're in luck. Our resident nerd Marky has that for first period too. He'll show you how it's done. Me and Roger on the other hand have the privilege of heading to gym." Maureen told her. "But we all have the same lunch, so we'll meet back up then."

Antonia nodded and smiled at Mark who had just closed his locker. "Let's go." he said. "Mrs. Anderson will totally embarrass you if you come in too late." The two of them walked off and Maureen and Roger headed for the gym.

It was horrible having gym first period. The unlucky students with that fate walked around smelling like sweat for the rest of the day. So Roger and Maureen had made a deal with the coach. They stayed after school every other Wednesday and cleaned the supply rooms and organized the office and Coach Turner gave them B's for the semester.

Now they headed towards the bleachers as Coach Turner led warm ups. Maureen pulled out her walkman and started lip-syncing to some song and Roger leaned back and daydreamed. After a minute he started to feel uncomfortable and opened his eyes. Three girls who were playing volleyball were staring at him.

Roger rolled his eyes and tapped Maureen on the shoulder. She took off her headphones. "What?" she demanded. Roger nodded his head at the girls who dissolved in giggles. Maureen rolled her eyes. "Oh for heaven's sake." she said in frustration.

"Five bucks says I can distract one of them enough to make her get hit with the ball." Roger betted.

"You're on." Maureen replied. "You are so not that hot."

"Watch and learn my naive friend. Watch and learn." Roger said back. "Hey cuties!" he called to the girls.

They turned all the way around and waved at him. "Hi Roger!" they chorused.

"I like your hair." he told one of them. "Those curls make you look really sexy." the girl he was talking to giggled and the other two glared at her, wishing they had curls too.

"Thanks Roger." she replied. "They said it was dumb to get my hair done like this when I have gym first thing, but I said-" she was cut off by the volleyball hitting her in the side of the head.

Roger fell over with laughter. "Sorry." he called to the girl. "But I only talk to people with enough sense to watch what's going on." Then he turned back to Maureen and held out his hand.

"Oh please." she said. "Like I'm actually going to give you five dollars. That would just be a drop in the bucket for you, Mr. I-live-in-the-biggest-house-in-town. Besides I was still right. You aren't that hot, that particular girl was just dumb as hell."

"I think someone's jealous." Roger teased.

Maureen folded her arms. "And why would I be jealous?" she asked dangerously.

"Maybe because that is also the same girl who beat you out for the lead in the school musical Grease last year." Roger reasoned.

"That's only because she was sleeping with the drama teacher." Maureen retorted.

"Mo, the drama teacher is a woman." Roger said back. "Face it, she got the part because she's blond. Just like the main character in Grease was. But you got the next best thing."

"Yeah Roger. It was great playing the chick who sleeps around and doesn't even know if she's pregnant or not." Maureen said with a sigh. "Like that didn't open a whole can of worms."

Roger shut up then. Last year after Maureen had played Rizzo in the musical everyone had found out that she had cheated on her football player boyfriend with a guy from their rival school. For the whole last semester everyone called her a hoe and Roger even got suspended for beating up the football player who had started it.

Suddenly the bell rang and Maureen got up quickly. Roger followed her and put his arm over her shoulders. "Don't worry." he whispered in her ear. "You're worth a million of her. And your Rizzo kicked the shit out of her Sandy." Then he gave her a hug, flicked the bird at everyone who snickered about it, and rushed off to his next class.

Maureen smiled and went the opposite way to hers.

Roger and Mark had chorus together second block, but Mark always dropped by the film lab for a minute before coming to class. So Roger got to the chorus room first. He was surprised to see Antonia sitting in the seat that was next to his reading a thick book.

"I didn't know you were a singer Antonia." he commented and went to sit next to her.

Antonia looked up startled. "Yeah I love to sing." she responded when she saw it was Roger. "And you can call me Toni or Ant. I can't stand my whole first name. My mother has these dreams of grandeur and she loves pretentious names."

"Tell me about it." Roger agreed. "My mom's the same way. I got off easy, but my brother's name is Randolph Arthur Davis." He shuddered and Mark came in the room.

"How was Lit?" Roger asked him.

"It was great!" Mark exclaimed as he took a seat beside Roger. "Not only is Toni not behind in the class because she's read like all the books on the class list, but she was participating in discussion and corrected Mrs. Anderson. All on her first day too."

"I'm happy for you Marky. You finally have someone to speak geek with." Roger joked.

Mark flipped him the bird as the choral teacher walked in and started class.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next two periods passed smoothly with Roger and Antonia having Algebra 2 together third period, and Mark and Maureen having history together fourth period. Then they all met in the entrance hall and made their way to the cafeteria. Maureen went off to the salad bar and Mark and Roger directed Toni to the hot lunch line. Once they had their food and drinks they headed to a table in the back of the room.

"Why do you guys sit all the way back here?" Antonia asked them.

Mark, Roger, and Maureen exchanged a look. "Let's just say it's quieter back here." Mark answered and dug into his pizza. "This tastes like my math book." he said with a grimace.

"I'm not sure what's more disturbing." Roger said with a grin. "That you still order school pizza after four years here, or that you know what your math book tastes like."

Maureen giggled. "Roger you are avoiding the real issue here. You aren't being an agent for change."

"What do you mean?" he wanted to know. "You want me to cook the school lunch? Because I so would if it meant no more Algebra."

Mark rolled his eyes. "If they let you cook, then the food would taste worse than it already does. I think Maureen means that since your parents are like the head of every board in Scarsdale, you should ask them to do something about the food." he explained.

"Um yeah. Not going to happen." Roger told them. "You guys have made it this far, I'm sure you can stick it out for six more months."

Antonia didn't know what they were talking about but she laughed along with them. She caught Roger's eye and smiled at him.

"Oh great. Our privacy is being compromised." Mark said after a while.

"What?" Roger asked. Mark rolled his eyes again and nodded in the direction of yet another blond girl headed towards their table. Roger leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow at her.

Maureen leaned over to Mark and whispered. "That look is only making him look hotter to her." Mark shrugged and turned to listen to what the girl had to say.

"Hi Roger." she was saying with a flirty smile. "I'm Rosalind Pearson." Roger just kept looking at her and she blushed. "Um, I'm like having this party on Friday, and I would like be so like thrilled if you could like come." She cast a look over at Mark, Maureen, and Antonia. "And since you're like so cute, you can like bring the new girl and like your loser friends too." she added.

Roger gave her a cold smile. "Thanks Rosanne, you said it was? But I like, have like, other like, things to like do. So if you like don't like mind, you're like contaminating my like air with like essence of like snob." he mocked.

Rosalind was not to be deterred. "Well if you like change your mind here's my like address." she said and handed him a card. Then she flipped her blond hair and walked back to her friends.

Roger shook his head as the bell rang signaling the end of lunch. He and Mark had study hall next so they gathered their books and said goodbye to the girls. "_That_ is why I hate coming from a rich family." Roger complained to Mark as they made their way to the library. "All the kids are air heads, and if _you're_ not one then there has to be something wrong with you." He caught Mark's skeptical look and glared back at his best friend. "Hey I might not be Einstein or you, but I'm not an empty headed idiot."

"Of course not Rog." Mark said soothingly. "There are plenty of things in your head."

The rest of the day went by quickly and soon the bell ending the school day was ringing. Mark and Roger always waited for Maureen outside the theater where she had drama last period. When they got there, they found Antonia already waiting.

"So how was the first day?" Roger asked her.

She smiled at him. "It was good. I'm not really behind in any of my classes and I think I'll have it even easier next semester."

Maureen came out of the theater then and walked over to them. "Come my friends. My parents are not at home. Let us journey there to partake of the snack food and complete the instrument of oppression that is our homework."

Antonia looked confused, but Mark and Roger were used to Maureen's antics, especially after drama class, so they just laughed and followed after her.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

They hadn't made it that far down the street before they heard someone calling Mark's name. He turned around and groaned as a girl with bushy brown hair and glasses walked up to them.

"Hi Marky!" she said happily.

Mark smiled weakly. "Hi Nannette." he replied. The two of them had gone out one time to please her father, the town rabbi, and now she was practically stalking him.

Maureen glared at her. "Himmelfarb will you get lost?" she said meanly. "We were on our way somewhere."

"Ooh are they going to your house Marky?" Nannette asked. "I'll come too."

"Uh, no. We're going to Maureen's house and her father doesn't let her have guests except for me and Roger. And Antonia here lives next door. So I guess I'll see you latter Nannette." Mark partially lied.

Nannette pouted. "Okay. See you Marky." She kissed him on the cheek and turned to walk in the opposite direction.

"Aww Marky you should have let her come with us." Roger teased. "Then you two could kiss and Maureen and I could have had a laugh."

Mark reddened. "Why don't we go to your house and let your mother have you? Then we could all have a laugh." he snapped.

"Simmer boys." Maureen interjected. She turned to Antonia who was looking very confused. "That was Mark's _girlfriend_ Nannette Himmelfarb." she explained.

"She is _not_ my girlfriend Maureen." Mark said through gritted teeth. "I went out with her _one_ time. And that was only because her father made us. I really can't stand her."

"Oh she wasn't that bad Mark." Antonia said as they walked up Maureen's driveway. "She seemed nice enough. She just looked very-" she broke off looking for the right word.

"Jewish." Mark supplied for her. "She looks very Jewish. None of the Jewish people I know are as Jewish as the Himmefarbs."

"Mark hates being Jewish." Roger stage whispered to Antonia.

"I do not hate being Jewish Roger!" Mark practically yelled. "Let my mother hear you say something like that and see how many times _you_ get invited over."

"_Sorry_." Roger apologized. He turned his attention to Maureen, as she unlocked her front door and led them inside. "Your brother plays the keyboards right?" Maureen nodded. "Do you think he would join my band?"

"Oh you have a band?" Antonia asked.

"No." the other three replied simultaneously.

"I was just asking because I play the drums and I've been hoping for a chance to play in a band again." Mark, Roger, and Maureen all stared at her. "What?" she asked innocently. "I was in a band back in Manhattan. We were pretty good too."

"That's perfect!" Roger exclaimed. "Ant can play the drums, Peyton can play the keyboards, I'll play guitar and my best female friend can sing lead." He put on his puppy face and looked at Maureen. "You _will_ sing lead right?"

"Why should I?" she asked coolly.

"Because you love me and you want me to be happy." Roger replied. Just then Maureen's older brother Peyton walked in from the basement where he slept now. He was a year older than his sister and was supposed to be in college but he was taking a year off. Roger batted his eyes at Maureen and nodded in her brother's direction. "Please?" he mouthed.

Maureen rolled her eyes and went into the kitchen after Peyton. "Hey bro." she said when he looked at her.

"Hi Mo. What's going on?" he replied warily. He was only to aware that his sister was a little bit crazy and went to great lengths to get what she wanted. "I see the guys are over that means Dad must be working late tonight."

"Mom too." Maureen told him. "So Roger's thinking of starting a band and he wants you to play keyboards." Peyton raised an eyebrow and frowned at his sister. He opened his mouth to say something but she cut him off. "Please do it. He'll never leave me alone if you don't. I'm going to sing lead and Antonia, the new girl from next door, will play drums. Please say yes. For me?"

Her brother rolled his eyes. "I'll do it. But only because I'm tired of sitting around the house all day."

Maureen bounced over and hugged him. "You could always go to college you know." she told him as she got ready to go back into the living room. "That would cure your boredom."

"Yeah but then I would be proving mom and dad right. You can't be the only one who sticks to her morals around here." he teased her back.

Maureen walked back out and smiled at Roger. "Peyton says he'll do it." she said. "And I guess I will too." She had always had a soft spot for Roger ever since they had first met back in sixth grade. Roger wrapped her in a tight hug.

Mark chuckled. "You know Roger, you are always acting like you're underprivileged or something. But if you're underprivileged then I must be homeless."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

So Roger finally got his band together. Usually they practiced at Mark's or Antonia's every other day. Antonia and Roger grew closer as they shared their love of music.

"I cannot believe you don't like the Beatles." Roger informed her one day. "It's like you can't even call yourself a music fan if you don't like the Beatles."

Antonia shrugged. "I just don't buy into their music." she replied. "They're a good band, but nothing compared to like Led Zeppelin and The Who."

"That's because they have two different genres." Roger argued. "You can't even compare the Beatles to Led Zeppelin."

Mark and Maureen sighed. Everyday at lunch it was the same thing. Roger and Antonia arguing about bands. Finally Mark tuned them out and turned to Maureen. "So I have to do a project for my film class about strong forces."

"What's that?" she wanted to know.

"It's like we have to pick a force of nature like a earthquake or hurricane and compare it to a person we know. Then we have to make a silent film about that person."

"So you have to get that person to convey their nature like strength without them saying anything?" Maureen asked. Mark nodded. "Ooh you could film me!" Maureen exclaimed.

"I was thinking about it." Mark responded shyly. "Maybe I could compare you to a hurricane."

"Is that really how you see me Mark?" Maureen asked with a strange gleam in her eye.

Mark blushed suddenly. "Uh well, you are kind of fierce like a hurricane and when you get dead set on something then you go after it, sometimes leaving a path of destruction in your wake."

"Aw that's sweet." Maureen replied with a giggle. "I would be proud to be a hurricane for you film project." Just then the bell ending lunch rang loudly. "Well I'm off to class. Bye Rog, bye Ant. See ya Pookie." she waved at her friends and hurried off.

Roger looked at Mark in confusion. "Pookie?" he asked.

Mark shrugged, his blush deepening. "I'd better get to class too." he said and quickly walked away.

Roger turned to look at Antonia. "Mark and Maureen?" she asked him.

"No way in hell." he replied.

Antonia giggled. "I don't know, they seemed kind close to me." she said and poked Roger in the arm as they left the cafeteria. "Maybe you're just jealous."

"Jealous of what?" he asked her. "Mark and Maureen?" Antonia nodded and Roger snorted. "Not likely. Maureen's like my sister and don't even suggest Mark. Besides I like someone else." He gave Ant a dazzling smile and turned the corner to go to his class. She stared after him for a moment, then spurred by the ringing late bell, she too headed off to class.

At the end of the day, Roger, Mark, and Maureen met up at the front of the school to wait for Antonia. "Roger why don't you just ask Daddy and Mama Warbucks for a car so we can stop walking home?" Mark asked his friend.

"A, I don't want their charity. If I'm going to get a car I want to have earned it. And B, how does _me_ having a car solve _your_ walking problem?"

"Ha ha Roger." Mark retorted. "I think you missed your calling. You should have been a comedian instead of a musician."

"Your sarcasm is so appreciated dearest Mark." his friend said back. "Maybe you should…" The words died in his throat as he looked over and saw Antonia walking towards them with some guy. "Hey Mo, who is that guy with Antonia over there?" he asked.

Maureen looked over. She knew just about every boy who went to their school. "That's Michael Adams." she replied. "He's the captain of the chess club and the debate team. He could give Mark a run for his money as head nerd too."

Mark was used to being called a nerd by his friends so he ignored that part. "I know Michael. I'm on the debate team too, remember? He's also a really good photographer." He stopped talking as Michael and Antonia came up to them.

"Hey Mark, hi Maureen." Michael greeted them. "And you're Roger Davis right?"

Roger grunted. "Yeah."

"I'm Michael Adams. I heard you guys are putting a band together. My sister is in charge of planning the entertainment for prom this year. She'd never forgive me if I didn't ask your band to audition." Michael told him. A horn honked and he looked towards the sound. "That's my sister. Think about it okay?" He nodded at Mark. "See you in debate Cohen. Bye Toni." then he ran off to the car.

Antonia waved at him and then turned to her friends. "We ready to go?" she asked. Mark nodded and they started down the street.

After about five minutes of Roger not saying anything Antonia looked up at him. "Roger are you okay? You've been really quiet."

"I'm fine." he replied quickly. "Look I got to go home right now. We can have band practice tomorrow." he turned and walked away toward his street.

Antonia looked at Mark and Maureen. "What's with him?" she wanted to know.

The two exchanged a look. "He's just very angst-y." Mark answered. "It's hard being a teenage billionaire."

Maureen elbowed Mark in the side as Antonia glanced at him sharply. "Roger's a billionaire?" she asked in disbelief. "How?"

"Well technically he's not a billionaire. More like a millionaire." Maureen explained quickly. "And it's his parents' money anyway. He hates that his family is so loaded. It makes people get fake around him. That's why he doesn't tell anyone, and we're not supposed to either." she gave Mark a stern look.

"I'm sorry." he apologized. "It just slipped out. But she was bound to find out anyway. I mean with Roger liking her and all." Mark slapped his hand over his mouth. "I wasn't supposed to tell you that either."

Maureen threw her hands in the air. "Tell his whole life story why don't you?" she said in exasperation. They walked on to Mark's house and went up to his room.

"So I don't understand." Antonia commented. "Why does Roger like me?"

Mark turned red and shrugged. He was uncomfortable with those kind of questions. "Sweetie Roger's a guy." Maureen answered for him as she looked in the mirror at herself. "And you're really hot. It's only natural."

"But Mark's a guy too and he doesn't like me like that. Do you Mark?" Antonia protested.

Mark mumbled something and grabbed his camera. Maureen giggled. "Mark's different. He doesn't look at girls like Roger does. Girls don't look at him like they look at Roger either for that matter."

"Thanks a lot Maureen." Mark said. "You make me sound like some gay loser or something."

"I'm just saying." she responded and winked at him, making him go red again. She turned back to Antonia. "Plus it helps that you're into music like Roger is. In his eyes you're probably like his personal goddess." Maureen snapped her fingers. "That's why he clammed right up when he saw you with Michael. Because he wants you for himself."

"There's nothing going on with me and Michael." Antonia told her. "We have the same science class last period and we just started talking."

"Well Roger doesn't know that." Mark spoke up. "He has a horrible jealous streak. If I were you, I'd call him and work it out. Leaving me and Maureen out of it of course."

"No, you can do better than that." Maureen said. "Go to his house and talk to him. That way he can't get all quiet on you." She smiled slowly and Mark groaned. He knew that look.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Three hours later, Maureen's older brother Peyton was dropping Antonia off in front of the Davis mansion. "You sure you'll be able to get home by yourself?" he asked her. "What if my sister's plan doesn't work?"

Maureen turned around from the passenger seat to make sure that Antonia was still looking as good as she was earlier. "Oh calm down Peyton." she dismissed her brother. "My plans have a 75 success rate."

"And the other 25 go down in a flaming blaze of death." he muttered under his breath.

Antonia looked alarmed at that. "Flaming death?" she whispered.

"Don't mind him." Maureen advised. "He's old and bitter. You just concentrate on fixing things up with Roger and scooping one of Scarsdale's most eligible teens for yourself."

Ant took a deep breath and nodded. "Thanks you guys." she said and climbed out of the car. Maureen smiled and motioned for her to go up to the door. She told Peyton to drive and when the car was around the corner Antonia mustered her courage and knocked on the door.

Several seconds later it was opened by a little boy who looked just like Roger. "Good evening." he said politely.

Ant smiled at him. "Good evening, I was wondering if Roger Davis was here." she responded.

The boy nodded. "He sure is. Would you like to come in?" Antonia nodded and the little boy moved aside so that she could come in. "I'm Randolph, Roger's little brother." he added.

"I'm Antonia, Roger's friend from school. It's nice to meet you Randolph." she shook his hand.

"Roger's in his room. Come on I'll show you." Randolph led her up a huge staircase and past nearly a dozen rooms. Finally they stopped in front of the closed door of the last room on the hall. "This is Roger's room." his brother said. Then he skipped off.

Antonia knocked on the door but received no answer. There was however a crescendo of angry guitar chords that made her smile. She waited until the music had subsided and then knocked again.

"I'm not hungry Danielle." Roger called out and opened his door with no shirt on. "I told Mom that al-" he stopped talking when he saw who was at the door. "Antonia? What are you doing here? How did you know I lived here? Who let you in?" he asked.

She smiled at him. "I came to see you. Mark and Maureen told me. Your brother Randolph." she answered. "Now I have a question. Are you going to let me in or do I have to stand in the hallway all night?"

"Um, come in?" Roger said uncertainly and let her into his room. She looked around and smiled again. His room looked nothing like the rest of the house. There were posters of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and the Ramones on the walls; a guitar amp was in the corner; plus the normal bedroom furniture. Roger gestured to a chair and Antonia sat down while he plopped on the bed. "So you came here to see me?"

"I did." Ant replied. "Mark and Maureen let a few things slip while we were walking to Mark's house this afternoon and I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"A few things like what?" Roger asked, narrowing his brilliant green eyes.

"Well that you're filthy rich for one." Antonia answered. "And can I say that that seems like an understatement compared to all this?" Roger rolled his eyes and she continued. "And Mark kind of told me that you liked me."

"And now I have to kill my best friend." Roger said darkly. "So you came here to do what, tell me that you and _Michael_ are getting together and that I need to get over you?"

"For God's sake, there is nothing going on with me and Michael. I came here to tell you that I like you too Roger, for all you're a brooding melodrama king." Antonia answered.

"Really?" Roger asked surprised. "You like me?"

"What's not to like? You're cute and funny, we have wonderful conversations about music and did I mention you were cute?"

Roger grinned. "So what should we do about this? You like me, and I like you."

"Maybe we should get together." Ant suggested. "It would be interesting." she got up and went to sit on the bed beside him. "Might even be fun."

"That's true." Roger replied. Then he leaned over and kissed her.

She sighed happily and kissed him back. When they pulled apart she bit her lip. "Um Rog? Maybe this would be a good time to put a shirt on."

He looked down at his chest and blushed. "You're right." he said with a grin. There was a pile of dirty clothes on the floor beside the bed and Roger pulled a tank top off the top.

Antonia wrinkled her nose. "You sure don't act like a millionaire's son." she remarked.

"That's because I hate being one." Roger responded. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to get people to take me serious when they know who my family is? That's why I only hang out with Mark and Maureen." he smiled. "At least until you came along."

"Those girls who are always asking you out don't seem to have a problem taking you seriously." Ant said with a smirk.

"It's not me they're asking out though." Roger insisted. "It's all this." he gestured around at his room. Antonia raised an eyebrow. "Well more like all that out there." Roger corrected. "They never want me, they want the glamour of being on the arm of Scarsdale's more eligible teenager."

"Maureen said the same thing. Well she said that I should try to scoop up Scarsdale's most eligible teen. How am I doing so far?" Antonia asked.

"Not bad." Roger replied. He looked at the clock. "It's getting late though. If I don't get you home, Maureen will have a field day with spreading rumors about how I took your virtue or something." He stood up. "Come on, I'll get the car from our driver Andrew."

They walked down the stairs and into the sitting room where Roger's mother was writing a letter and his little brother was playing a video game. "Do you know where Andrew is Angela? I need the car."

"Are you going driving Rog?" Randolph wanted to know. "I want to come."

"Why do you need the car honey?" Angela Davis asked her oldest son. "Isn't it a little late for you to be going out?"

Roger rolled his eyes. "I have to take Antonia home. Ant this is Angela, Angela this is my girlfriend Antonia."

Roger's mother's eyes lit up when she heard the word girlfriend. "Oh it's so nice to meet you dear. I'm Angela Davis, Roger's mother. Where did you two kids meet?"

"Um, we go to the same school." Antonia said.

"And now we need to go." Roger interjected. "I'll be home as soon as I drop her off."

"Oh no rush honey." Angela said. "Have fun with your girlfriend."

"Whatever." Roger grunted. He led Ant outside to the garage. "So what do you want to ride in?" he asked her.

Antonia looked confused until Roger flipped on the light and a row of cars was illuminated. "Wow that's a nice blue Mustang." she said. "How about that?"

"You got it Ant." Roger responded. He found the keys and they got in and headed to Maureen's neighborhood. As he turned up the street and into Antonia's driveway they saw Maureen come skipping out of her house.

"So did you two have a good time?" she asked as she walked up to the window.

"Yes, if you must know." Roger said.

"There's no thanks necessary." Maureen replied. "I was happy to get the two of you together. Oh and Mark said please don't hurt him tomorrow."

"I'll think about it." Roger told her. Then he turned to Antonia. "See you tomorrow." he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. She hopped out of the car and went into her house.

Maureen smirked. "I am so good." she said. Her father yelled at her to come in just then and she rolled her eyes. "See you later Rog." she said with a sigh. "The tyrant is calling."

"Hey I'll pick everyone up tomorrow for school, okay? Call Mark and tell him."

"Ooh we're riding in one of the nice Davis cars?" Maureen asked. "Excellent."

"**Maureen Sabrina Johnson! Get in this house**!" Mr. Johnson yelled out the door.

"Until tomorrow then Rich Boy." Maureen wiggled her fingers at Roger. "I'm coming Dad, God!" she shouted back and headed into the house.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

That next morning when Roger pulled up in front of Maureen's house, he actually looked the part of a millionaire's son. He had on a pair of sunglasses and the car spoke for itself. He had on his normal clothes but there was something about his demeanor that seemed different. Mark was sitting in the seat next to him in the powder blue Mustang convertible. He winced as Roger honked the horn for the second time.

"So now you two are going out? Just like that?" Mark was asking in disbelief. "How is that even possible?"

Roger shrugged. "Beats me. All I know is that she came to my house and told me that she liked me too. Now we're going out. I introduced her to Angela as my girlfriend and everything."

"Life is so unfair." Mark replied and slouched down in his seat. Maureen and Antonia emerged from Maureen's house and went over to the car. Mark hopped in the back so that Antonia could sit next to Roger and Maureen slid in next to him.

"What's with the pout? she asked. "Roger did you yell at him?"

"No I didn't yell at him." Roger responded and drove toward the school. "He's mad because Antonia and I are going out and it didn't take me _six years _to ask her out." he gave Mark a significant look in the rearview mirror.

Mark flushed and glared back at his best friend. "Shut up." he grumbled.

Roger smirked and the rest of the drive to school was quiet. A few minutes later, he pulled into a parking space near the front of the school building and they all piled out.

"I've got a drama rehearsal until 5 today." Maureen said.

"Yeah and I've got debate and photo club. I should be done around 6." Mark added.

Roger had tutoring in math until 5 and Antonia had to meet with her counselor until 5:30. So Roger declared that they would all meet back at the car at 6:15 and then have band practice at his house. Every one agreed and Mark and Ant headed to Lit, while Roger and Maureen went down to the gym.

They took their usual spots on the bleachers and watched as everyone else exerted themselves. Roger was just getting ready to nod off when a shadow fell across his face. He looked up and saw Rosalind and another girl standing over him. "Can I help you?" he asked rudely.

"Like actually you like so can." Rosalind said. "Like I saw you drive to school today. Your car is like so fab. So I was like wondering if you could like give me and like my friend Piper a ride home after school."

Roger just stared at her. "Are you fucking serious?" he asked. He looked at Maureen whose mouth was hanging open.

"Uh yeah." Piper spoke up. "We love your car and it would be cool if we could like go for a ride sometime. Like today, after school."

"After school's no good for me. I got to go to tutoring today." Roger said back.

"Well you know I have like physics after lunch." Rosalind responded. "We could like just leave school and then like you could drop us off at my house and like come back here for tutoring."

Roger was at a loss for words so Maureen spoke up. "Um Rosa, Roger so does not need to be skipping school. That's why he has to go to tutoring in the first place."

"Whoa who asked her?" Rosalind asked Piper. "I mean since when do I need to listen to filthy little middle class sluts?"

Roger grabbed Maureen's arm before she punched Rosalind and dragged her away. "Calm down." he whispered in her ear.

"Did you hear what that bitch called me?" Maureen demanded. "I don't want to calm down. I want to hit her until her hair reverts back to it's natural color."

"Yeah but you can't do that. If you do you'll get into trouble and then your dad will kill you." Roger advised.

Maureen slumped down against the wall. "I know I must be far gone if I'm getting advice form the king of the trouble makers."

"You know what? You're right, I am so the wrong person to be trying to talk you down. "Sit right here. Do not go hit Rosalind. Just stay here and I'll be back." Roger ran down the hall and up the stairs to the main part of the school. He kept running until he got to Mark's Lit class and looked in through the window.

Luckily Mark was a big enough nerd that he sat right in the front and near the door. Roger gestured wildly until he caught Mark's eye. Then he beckoned for him to come outside. Mark gave him an exasperated look, but raised his hand and got a pass to the bathroom nonetheless.

"What do you want Roger?" he asked in exasperation. "I have a test to review for today."

"Yeah and you need to go help the girl you like too." Roger told him. "That girl Rosalind called Maureen a filthy slut and she's about to go postal on her."

Mark groaned. "Lead the way." he said and followed Roger back down to the gym. When they got there, Maureen was still leaning against the wall, but there was a dangerous gleam in her eyes.

"I don't like that look she has." Mark commented.

"Me either." Roger agreed. "I told her not to hit Rosalind, but that doesn't mean she listened."

Mark went over to Maureen and laid his hand on her shoulder. "Mo, are you okay?" he asked carefully.

"Sure am." she replied. "Rosalind smashed into my hand and now she has a black eye. Somehow that made me feel better."

"Mo." Roger groaned. "I told you not to hit her."

"Yeah, and when have I ever listened to you?" Maureen retorted. Mark was looking at her strangely. "What?" she asked. "I know you hate violence and all, but I had to do what I-" she was cut off by Mark pressing his lips against hers.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Contrary to what Roger thought, Mark and Maureen did not start dating after their kiss in the hall. In fact, both of them seemed content to pretend it had never happened. This was driving Roger nuts, and he said so one night when he was sleeping over at Mark's house the week after Spring Break.

"Can't you just let it go Rog? Something might happen, and then again nothing might happen." Mark reasoned.

"Yeah but, you know you like her. And since she didn't hit you when you kissed her, she obviously likes you too." Roger replied in exasperation. "You're the one who's always griping about not having a girlfriend. Here's your chance."

Mark chuckled and finished winding the film in his camera. "I _do not _gripe about not having a girlfriend." her corrected. "I gripe about the fact that you can get one with the greatest of ease. Do you honestly think I _like_ sitting back and being your just okay looking friend, while you flirt with every girl I know, Oh Roger King of Hotness?"

"Now there's a good nickname for him." came Cindy's voice from the doorway. "Because you are pretty hot Roger. For a high school guy that is."

"Don't you have something else to do Cindy?" Mark groaned. "You're always complaining about how boring I am, yet you spend an awful lot of time in my doorway."

"It's not to see you, I can assure you of that." Cindy retorted.

Just as she finished speaking Mrs. Cohen came up the stairs. "Cindy are you staying?" she asked her daughter.

"No, I'm going to stay in my friend's dorm tonight." she responded.

Mrs. Cohen nodded. "Alright then." she said. "Boys it's nearly dinner time. Come on downstairs."

"Okay Mom." Mark replied.

When he and Roger got downstairs they could smell something delicious cooking. "Man your mom is awesome." Roger remarked.

Mark just rolled his eyes and led the way into the kitchen. "Roger dear, could I trouble you to set the table for me?" Mark's mom asked.

"Of course Mrs. Cohen." Roger answered.

"Hey how come you never ask me to set the table like that?" Mark complained. "All I get from you and Dad is '_Mark get the silverware and plates out. You know what you need to do. Don't let me tell you again_.'"

Mrs. Cohen waved his comment away. "That's because you're our son Mark." she said impatiently. "You have to do what we say. Now go get your father for dinner."

Mark rolled his eyes and headed back upstairs to get his father from the study. When they came back down, the Cohens and Roger sat down to eat.

It was quiet for a minute as they all tucked into their food then Mark's dad asked Roger, "What are your plans after graduation Roger? I've been trying to ask Marcus, but he develops selective amnesia when it comes to that subject."

Roger cleared his throat. "Well as of right now, the only real plan I have is to move out of my parents house as soon as humanly possible." he responded. "I figure everything will fall into place after that."

Dr. Cohen frowned. "That doesn't seem very prudent." he said. "It's always better to have a well thought out plan. That's why it's straight off to medical school for Marcus." he clapped his son on the back.

"With all due respect sir, is that Mark's plan or yours?" Roger inquired politely. "I always thought he wanted to be a filmmaker or photographer."

"That's just a hobby." Dr. Cohen assured him. "Mark's going into the family business as a doctor. Right son?"

"Whatever you say Dad." was Mark's response.

After dinner, Mark and Roger were heading back to Mark's room when the doorbell rang. "Go get that would you." Mark asked him.

Roger grumbled and went to the door. He opened it to find Maureen standing outside. "Hey Mo." he greeted.

"Hi Rog. Mark around?" Maureen replied as she came in.

"Well seeing as this is his house…" Roger quipped.

Maureen shot him a look. "Roger you would be so much more pleasant if you didn't have a smart comment for every situation." she said and headed up the stairs.

"I learned from the best." Roger said back.

"Yeah yeah." she answered and walked into Mark's room. "What's up Pookie?" she asked the skinny blond.

"Um, not much. Roger's mooching as usual." Mark replied. "So your dad let you out this close to dark?"

"Actually he and Ma are out at the moment and Peyton promised to cover for me. So I thought I would come visit my favorite boys." Roger took a special notice to how her glance lingered on Mark as she said this.

"Good then I have a question." Roger said, taking advantage of the situation.

"I do too." Mark spoke up, blushing furiously. "Maureen would you like to go out with me on Friday?"

It was hard to say who was more surprised by this outburst from the normally shy Mark. Roger spluttered for a minute and Maureen grinned and threw her arms around the bespectacled filmmaker. "Of course I will Marky!" she pulled away. "What took you so long to ask?"

Mark blushed harder, if possible. "I don't know." he muttered. "Waiting for the right time I guess."

"More like too scared to jump on it." Roger corrected with a snort. "This should go over well at school on Monday. Super nerd Mark Cohen is going out with resident drama queen Maureen Johnson. Makes me wish I wrote for the school paper. This is the story of the year."

"You'd have to know how to write." Maureen retorted. "Frankly I'm convinced that isn't one of your skills."

School on Monday was not as interesting as Roger had thought it would be. No one really cared that much about Mark and Maureen going out, mostly because they didn't know. This was because Maureen and Antonia were skipping school at Antonia's house.

"I tell you Mark." Roger began when his best friend joined him in the chorus room. "Girls are freaking lucky. Tomorrow when their teachers ask where they were today, all they have to do is say that they were having female problems or something. It's not fair."

Mark grinned and took out his music. "So what Roger, do you want cramps too?" he ducked as Roger swung at him.


	9. Chapter 9

_Okay, I usually write RENT and Inuyasha fics, but I'm going to try my hand at writing some about Artemis Fowl. If you guys don't like it PLEASE let me know and I'll crawl humbly back to the RENT category where I'm welcome. This was just an idea that's been tumbling around in my head since I finished reading _The Lost Colony _last year._

The New Adventure

Chapter 1

"Just think of this as a new adventure." nineteen year old Artemis Fowl told himself. "It's similar to the time when you faced those trolls, and the goblins, and that pride of angry demons. Yes, just another adventure. Butler won't let anything happen…" And indeed the bodyguard _was_ in his usual place; behind his employer and friend. This time however, all the weaponry and martial arts skills in the world would do no good. Even more discouraging, Artemis's legendary intelligence couldn't help him.

Because he'd asked for this. Gotten down on one knee and asked. Now, almost a year later, he was petrified. And fear was not a feeling that Artemis Fowl II like to experience.

The young genius looked up and directly into amber eyes. They held a reassuring light that lifted Artemis's spirits. His signature vampire smile stretched across his pale face, he cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and said, "I do."

_Beep, Beep, BEEP, __**BEEP **_

Three months later, Artemis Fowl snapped his blue eyes open at the sound of his wife's alarm clock. He sighed and stretched, yet the beeping still continued. "Nakeva." he said.

Without opening her eyes, the girl lying next to him in the large bed flicked her fingers at the clock. The alarm was instantly shut off. "I'm still asleep." she said to her husband.

Artemis chuckled. "Yes I see that. Unfortunately you cannot remain in bed all day. We have important guests coming do not forget."

"Five minutes." Nakeva replied.

"Alright. I'll return a couple of emails and then I'm waking you up again. I won't be taking no for an answer either."

"You never do." Of course it took nearly half an hour for Artemis to return his correspondences and get his wife Nakeva was out of bed and into the shower. The young woman was only seventeen. A sprightly elf, human, warlock mix with powers and an attitude to match.

Fifteen minutes later, Nakeva was up, clean, and dressed. "There now." Artemis remarked. "Was that so difficult?"

She smirked back at him and went downstairs as her husband made his way to the bathroom. Butler was bustling around the kitchen making breakfast and chatting with a small individual who was sitting at the table. "Holly!" Nakeva exclaimed when she saw their visitor. "How are you?"

The elf grinned. "Hey Nikki. I'm fine. I should be asking how you are though. You've been Fowl's wife for three months."

Nakeva giggled. "Oh leave him alone. Artemis is a very caring husband."

The manservant snorted into the eggs he was cooking. "Caring? All you two do is snap at each other constantly."

"But that's how we express our love Butler." Nikki said back. "You have to admit that we _are _good together."

"Artemis Fowl in love. If you'd told me about this back when he was twelve I would have suggested that you get your head examined. Now it's common to see that Mud Boy with his wife on his arm." Holly commented.

"Believe me Holly, I was more shocked than you." Butler said. "Because she's actually right. Artemis and Nakeva are excellent together. It's quite unnerving. Last night for example I walked in on them _kissing_."

"And I expressly asked you to block that from your memory Butler old friend." Artemis remarked as he entered the kitchen. "Since it _unnerves_ you so much." He dropped a kiss onto Nakeva's head and glared at Holly who had erupted into uncharacteristic giggles. "Hello Captain Short."

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry for laughing. Don't go all stiff criminal mastermind on me." Holly retorted. "What, no hug? You'll kiss her, but I get nothing?"

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "She is my wife." he reasoned. "And you told me once that if I ever lost my mind and hugged you, you would give me an extra aperture in my head with your Neutrino."

Holly rolled her eyes. "You and your superb long term memory. But witty banter aside, we _do_ have a problem."

"Never a social visit." Butler sighed before Artemis could. "What is it this time Holly, another uprising? The gnomes getting out of hand?"

"I wish it were that simple." the elf replied. She reached down to her belt and pulled a small Palm Pilot-like device from it's case. "Foaly received a transmission last night. He watched it, then sent it to me." She turned the device on and located the file she wanted. "Alright gather around."

Butler eyed the device and cleared his throat. Holly hid a grin. "I'm sorry. Even after all we've been through, Foaly still doesn't have Butler-sized equipment."

"Oh I can take care of that." Nakeva spoke up. She took the small computer from Holly and closed her eyes. Whispering a chant, she waved her hand over the screen and then held it up towards the wall. Like the complex magic it was the image on the screen of the fairy sized Palm Pilot was displayed on the kitchen wall.

Butler grinned and Artemis smiled contentedly while Holly gaped. "Um, okay." she said once she had closed her mouth. "Like I said, Foaly got this message last night and it's dated yesterday." She hit a button and the image on the wall changed from the smiling face of a blond elf to the splotchy red face of the late Commander Julius Root.

"Hello there Foaly." the commander was saying. "I hope you don't mind if I smoke." as he said this he screwed a lit fungus cigar into his mouth. "That's better. Anyway, I know you all thought I was dead. But I'm obviously not. You will be receiving transmissions like this from a few other friends who you thought were dead. Then you'll receive some instructions. Follow them or fairies and Mud Men start dying." the commander winked and the image went blank.

"That was not Commander Root." said Butler.

"Obviously." agreed Artemis. "The Commander had a flair that whoever that was lacked in excess. The imperative question is, _who was that_?" he looked at his wife. "Well Nakeva it seems as if you will get your chance to be a part of one of my adventures after all."


End file.
